A distinct pathway of cell-mediated apoptosis initiated by granulysin

Citation
Aa. Kaspar et al., A distinct pathway of cell-mediated apoptosis initiated by granulysin, J IMMUNOL, 167(1), 2001, pp. 350-356
Citations number
46
Categorie Soggetti
Immunology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
ISSN journal
00221767 → ACNP
Volume
167
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
350 - 356
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-1767(20010701)167:1<350:ADPOCA>2.0.ZU;2-L
Abstract
Granulysin is an antimicrobial and tumoricidal molecule expressed in granul es of CTL and NK cells. In this study, we show that granulysin damages cell membranes based upon negative charge, disrupts the transmembrane potential (Delta psi) in mitochondria, and causes release of cytochrome c. Granulysi n-induced apoptosis is blocked in cells overexpressing Bcl-2. Despite the r elease of cytochrome c, procaspase 9 is not processed. Nevertheless, activa tion of caspase 3 is observed in granulysin-treated cells, suggesting that granulysin activates a novel pathway of CTL- and NK cell-mediated death dis tinct from granzyme- and death receptor-induced apoptosis.